Galveston officer opens fire on combative wrong-way driver

By Dale Lezon |
May 16, 2014

An off-duty Galveston police officer shot and wounded a wrong-way driver Thursday night during a confrontation on Interstate 45.

The incident occurred about 9:30 p.m. on the Gulf Freeway near Highway 146 and Highway 6, said Capt. Barry Cook of the Galveston County Sheriff's Office.

Cook said the officer, who was driving his own car and was not in uniform, spotted the driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of the freeway. Traffic was fairly heavy at the time and several people had called 911 to alert authorities about the wrong-way driver.

Cook said the officer, whose name has not been released, pulled out his gun and fired at the car, aiming at the right rear tire. He flattened the tire. The man pulled over and the officer stopped his car.

Cook said the man got out of his car and charged at the officer, who opened fire on him. The man was wounded in the abdomen. He was rushed to UTMB in Galveston. Details of his wound and condition were not released.

Cook said the man continued to be combative after he was wounded and had to be restrained with shackles to be treated and placed in an ambulance. His name has not been released.

Cook said it appeared the officer wanted to stop the wrong-driver when he shot out the car's tire because he feared there would be a head-on collision.

"Being mindful of the danger the driver was placing the public in, the officer was trying to get the vehicle stopped," said Sgt. Douglas Balli, of the Galveston Police Department. Balli said the officer, who is a commander and has been with the department 20 years, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is common in officer-involved shootings.